Kirstin Says: Is Rachel Crow, 13, Too Young For The 'X Factor' Spotlight?

After witnessing Rachel Crow’s emotional breakdown when she learned she had been voted off ‘The X Factor,’ I have to wonder if producers should raise the age limit next season

First it was Astro and then it was Rachel Crow…and neither were pretty. When Astro — who was 14 when he started The X Factor and 15 when he left — was placed in the bottom two for the first time, he threw a hissy fit and refused to sing his save song. Only a couple weeks later on Dec. 8, Rachel, 13, was voted off and fell to the floor in a fit of tears. Is all of the pressure of live, reality TV too much for kids to handle?

Don’t get me wrong. As a former child performer myself, I’m 100% supportive of kids in show biz, but I have to wonder if a show of this magnitude is healthy. It’s already stressful enough to keep things together when you’re a grown person, but to be barely out of middle school and riding the roller coaster that is The X Factor? Forget about it.

In the beginning, I raved about Simon Cowell‘s decision to lower the age limits. “The kids make the show!” I wrote. It’s true…they really do. Kids and animals, they’ll steal any show. We get attached to them; we’re impressed by their talents; and most of all, they pull at our heart strings and bring out the emotion. In essence, kids = ratings.

However, after tonight’s display (combined with Astro’s attitude), I’d like to ask FOX producers to consider increasing the age limit of their show. When she learned Marcus Cantymade the semi-finals over her, Rachel LITERALLY fell to the ground, stole any attention from him and started sobbing like she’d just seen a murder. It was so upsetting, her mom and Simon sprinted to the stage and picked her up, both promising it would be okay.

“You PROMISE?” she screamed, through her sobs. Jeez, it broke my heart — but it was also really unsettling. It felt like I was watching a human being come undone before my very eyes.

I guess moments like this are what make reality television so entertaining. But I think we need to think twice before allowing our source of entertainment to come from kids younger than 16.

What do you think? Were Astro and Rachel just coincidences? (After all, Drew didn’t break down like them.) Or should The X Factor age limits be raised? Sound off below!